Judy Baar Topinka

Republican Judy Baar Topinka is the Illinois State Comptroller after being elected on Nov. 2, 2010. She is the former Illinois State Treasurer, having served from 1995 to 2007. Topinka lost to Rod Blagojevich in the Illinois governor's race in 2006.

Related "Judy Baar Topinka" Articles

Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka's death left a void in Illinois beyond her colorful personality: She would have been sworn in Monday for her second term in the office. Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner has named GOP businesswoman Leslie Munger to fill the vacancy,...

Democrats gave speedy approval Thursday to a measure that would require a special election to fill part of the term left vacant after the death of Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, as Republicans railed against the move as a power grab aimed at undermining...

Following her losing bid for state representative and the sudden death of state Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, Lincolnshire resident Leslie Munger’s future plans changed in the span of 36 hours. For the next two to four years, the former business...

Republican Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner on Monday picked a former corporate executive from the north suburbs to fill the comptroller’s post left vacant after the death of Judy Baar Topinka.
Leslie Munger of Lincolnshire is a former executive for Helene...

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn on Friday appointed a longtime friend and aide to succeed the late Judy Baar Topinka as Illinois comptroller, saying Jerry Stermer will serve for just three weeks until new statewide officeholders are sworn in Jan. 12.The...

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn on Friday appointed a longtime friend and aide to succeed the late Judy Baar Topinka as Illinois comptroller, saying Jerry Stermer will serve for just three weeks until new statewide office holders are sworn in Jan. 12.
The...

Democrat Gov. Pat Quinn isn’t leaving office without waging at least one more battle against Republican successor Bruce Rauner, ordering lawmakers on Thursday to return to Springfield Jan. 8 to decide whether voters should get to pick a new comptroller in...

Since the untimely passing of freshly re-elected Illinois State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka there has no end of ideas and suggestions as to whom current Illinois Governor Pat Quinn should appoint. Or for how long the appointment will last.
...

Another dispatch from Somebody Nobody Asked™, America's pre-eminent unsolicited advice columnist.
Dear Gov. Pat Quinn:
As your last significant act in office, appoint Tom Cross as state comptroller to fill the vacancy created by the unexpected death...

Republican Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner on Monday dismissed the idea of holding a special election for Illinois comptroller following Judy Baar Topinka's death, saying a legal analysis by the attorney general makes it clear he can appoint a replacement to...

"She's the blond. I'm the redhead."
—State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, explaining in 1997 the scant difference between her office and that of state Comptroller Loleta Didrickson.
In a better place and time, politicians would focus this week...

Judy Baar Topinka had already developed her “no B.S. approach” to politics as class president of her high school in Lake Forest. After a 30-year career in elective office — including 12 years as state treasurer — Topinka passed away at age 70 on...

The tragic death of beloved Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka has been followed, predictably, by much speculation about who should replace her and how that person will be chosen. But I believe it's more important for us to focus on what Comptroller...

House Speaker Michael Madigan on Thursday effectively ruled out any quick action by lawmakers to meet in a special legislative session to try to force a special election for Illinois comptroller following the death of Republican Judy Baar Topinka.
...

When I heard Judy Baar Topinka had died, it brought back an old memory about the one fight we had.
It happened in her campaign van years ago, parked around the corner from the Tribune Tower when she was running for governor in 2006 against future...

Judy Baar Topinka always had a firm grip on who she was — and on her trademark disposable travel coffee mug.
I saw both in action in our one televised appearance this fall. As we were seated side by side with just minutes before going on the air, she...

A couple years ago, Judy Baar Topinka and I were sparring over the numbers she was using for the state's backlog of bills, so I invited her to my office for a chat.
She strides in, tosses a folder full of financial documents on my desk and loudly...

You know this if you were a close friend of hers or if you just saw it on a TV commercial: Nobody appreciated a good yard sale more than Judy Baar Topinka did. It wasn’t just campaign shtick. It was true. She could be deep in conversation about the arcana...